tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3162439729018882162024-03-12T20:05:43.940-06:00Au fil de mes balades...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-14841878015618866202015-05-07T11:14:00.003-06:002015-05-07T11:15:09.738-06:00I've moved!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You can find me over at <a href="http://whoalansi.com/">whoalansi.com</a> now. </div>
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Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you on the new site. </div>
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-Lans</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-24837980988691950312015-04-24T11:36:00.001-06:002015-04-24T11:42:14.211-06:00Meal Planning<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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I love thinking about food - any & all food is fair game. I take pleasure in sharing my knowledge of Calgary's food scene & delight in the ongoing search for delicious fare. You'd think this passion for eating would perhaps translate to my enjoyment of meal planning, but it truly does not. I don't really believe anyone who tells me they love this task. Don't get me wrong, I love thinking about new recipes & forming an unstructured plan of what we'll eat, but I don't enjoy sitting down to actually plan the week. I get much more enjoyment from flexible plans, but I personally don't find them realistic for our everyday lives. For one, I hate throwing out food. It's one of my pet peeves. Even if something I've made doesn't quite turn out, I'll usually eat it. There's also the unfortunate fact that we need to be a little bit conscious what we're spending. So every week, I sit down & make a meal plan.<br />
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I used to be quite diligent about this process, but lately I've been struggling with finding the motivation. Recipes I've pinned still look delicious, but I don't always have time (<i>or energy</i>) for a weekday experiment. It's just not always realistic to spend hours in the kitchen on a Tuesday night. Sometimes I just want something quick & easy, something that I already know will be delicious.<br />
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This is exactly why I'm grateful that I've been so organized with our meal plans. (<i>Excuse me while I pat myself on the back for that one</i>.) Thanks to my penchant for planning, I have a record of every single meal plan we ever made. Originally, I typed them up in word, printed them off, & stuck them on the fridge. At the end of the week, I put them in a binder. (<i>How cute!</i>)<br />
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A couple years ago, we made the switch to online recording. We use an app called <a href="https://evernote.com/">Evernote</a>. It allows you to create lists that sync to multiple phones, making tracking, organising, & editing simple.When N picks up groceries, he checks off the items in the app as he goes so we know whether we're missing anything. </div>
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I really like our system, but I still found my inspiration lacking a bit. A few weeks ago, I was on instagram & noticed how often I share our meals on my feed. Why not use these for inspiration?! There's a good mix of tried & true recipes as well as some newer, exciting ones. I created a hashtag for these photos so they're easy to find (<i>one of the greatest features of instagram!</i>). You can find them by searching #deBoerDinners. </div>
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Whenever I've used a recipe, I've tagged the owner or referenced it in some ways. There are some experiments & staples up there though that will not have recipes associated with them, but hopefully they all help to inspire your meal plans when you're feeling a stuck. I plan to continue to add to it as we cook more too, so it will continue to grow.<br />
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Do you ever find yourself in a cooking rut? I'd love to hear about your tactics if you do! Happy Meal Planning!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-44406898439831154352015-04-10T13:49:00.001-06:002015-04-14T09:30:02.980-06:00Honeymoon 12 \\ Naples<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you don't travel mostly for the sake of experiencing another culture's take on food, then this is probably going to sound pretty bizarre to you. When we decided to go on a cruise as part of our honeymoon, there were two options: one that included Naples, & one that did not. While this grungy port town with a bit of a reputation certainly isn't on everyone's list of places to visit, it placed high on ours. You may be scratching your head on that one, like many of our fellow passengers, so let me explain: Naples is the birthplace of pizza.<br />
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The breathtaking Amalfi coast, a short train ride away, tempted us for less than five seconds as we watched the rest of Ventura's passengers offload. We had an important mission to complete: eat at <a href="http://www.damichele.net/">L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele</a>. We'd gotten general directions for this famous pizzeria, but stopped at the tourist office for a map & some more specific instruction. They weren't sure on the exact address, but we set off in the general direction with our trusty map. At this point, we'd spent most of our time either in tourist centres or cities I knew very well, so despite knowing Naples was a little rough around the edges, it was still a bit of a shock to find ourselves in a much grimier neighbourhood than we were used to.<br />
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Without an exact address or the ability to google the location, we quickly realized we had no idea where to go. The only thing we knew was that we shouldn't go past the train station. I quickly initiated to my usual backup plan when lost in a foreign country: find a hotel & ask for directions. The friendly maitre d' showed us the exact location (<i>just around the corner</i>) on our map & we were back on our way. We'd heard that it was important to get there before noon, so we'd headed straight there from the ship, arriving just after 11.<br />
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If we hadn't known about Pizzeria da Michele, we likely would have walked passed this unassuming little spot. It looks like any other local pizzeria in Italy. You won't find a huge staff here either. In addition to a few servers & the cashier, there were two men running the actual pizza-making operation - one in charge of dough & assembly, another manning the brick oven. They respect Grandfather Michele's memory to this day, serving the two classic types of Neapolitan pizza: Margherita or Bianca.<br />
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Since we were quite early, we snagged a table in the main room with a view of the whole process. I couldn't have hand-picked a better vantage point. Their small menu makes ordering a snap. We each chose our own regular-sized Margherita pizzas, as well as a couple beers & a large bottled water. As we waited for our meal, we took in our surroundings. The walls are dotted with photos of celebrities & signs explaining the origins of this style of pie. The staff walked around, joking with regulars or shouting jokingly at each other in Italian (<i>the Italian gesturing was on point!</i>). We could only guess what they were saying, but we thoroughly enjoyed letting our imaginations run wild. The older gentleman rolling out dough was particularly animated. He was by far our favourite! (<i>Rumour has it, he's one of Michele's four sons.</i>)<br />
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Our pizzas arrived quickly, hot from the oven. The smell was out of this world & neither of us could wait to dive in. I'm sure you can guess how this experience was (<i>I mean, I just wrote a four paragraph introduction</i>). It was, without a shadow of a doubt, the best pizza I have ever eaten.<br />
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In true Italian fashion, the simplicity of the fresh ingredients blend to create the perfect balance of flavours. Buffalo mozzarella, san marzano tomatoes, the freshest basil, & a perfect dough: it's an unreal combination. You couldn't wipe the happy grin off my face. While I love prosciutto or creative toppings on my pizza just as much as anyone else, this pizza is on another level. It doesn't need those extra toppings to shine. Trust me on this one. Go to Naples. Eat the pizza at da Michele. Thank me (<i>& all of those who have come before me</i>) later.<br />
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-Break for drool-worthy pizza photos (<i>& a snap with my new buddy!</i>)-</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our great server</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-XboBX23gJB3B3igA9cS-2k3nCl14vmcCQl_FpKRfz6J3GWgCuWYm4KmB2PfSdACU_iRFfeo577tvj-RRbiTYTtJhGHjAcX-RG_c5PJPj1v9X8yDWot2eVmIXyar0uN2GI5N1DRyQPM/s1600/FotorCreated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-XboBX23gJB3B3igA9cS-2k3nCl14vmcCQl_FpKRfz6J3GWgCuWYm4KmB2PfSdACU_iRFfeo577tvj-RRbiTYTtJhGHjAcX-RG_c5PJPj1v9X8yDWot2eVmIXyar0uN2GI5N1DRyQPM/s1600/FotorCreated.jpg" height="564" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting to get busy as we head out</td></tr>
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L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele could easily attach a hefty price tag to their fare, but I think our bill came in under twenty euros. A true steal, especially given the incredible quality. I wish I could have taken some back to the ship for later, but I'm not sure it would have held up that well in my purse all afternoon.<br />
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Honestly, we had no idea what else to see in Naples afterwards. We had a map & a lot of free time though, so we set out. (<i>This blog is called Au fil de mes balades for good reason. I love exploring a new city without any real destination!</i>) We started in the old quarter, with its crumbling infrastructure & graffiti everywhere. We were still getting used to seeing these incredible historic sights in such disrepair in comparison to other cities we'd visited. It was an entirely different experience from the rest of our trip & I was glad to see it. We took a break in a café at the base of the funicular, grabbing a cappuccino & catching up on Instagram, before heading up to the castle at the top. We decided to tour the castle (<i>I know, I'm shocked too. There wasn't any food inside either</i>), & got caught in a rain storm during our visit. We waited it out with the other tourists in every alcove we could find until we got bored & decided to just brave the elements.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Makeshift Umbrella</td></tr>
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Instead of taking the funicular back down, we opted to walk. This resulted in many wrong turns & us getting completely lost. In the process, we stumbled upon many beautiful hidden corners & got a peak into everyday life on the hill. It reminded me of Croix Rousse in Lyon in that respect. We ran into more than our fair share of dead ends, & there were definitely times when we felt like we'd never find out way back to the port, but we also saw a side of Naples we would have completely missed if we had simply taken the funicular back down. Vacations allow for many luxuries, namely time, so we were in no rush to find our way. Instead, we took advantage & reveled in the unusual opportunity of not having to worry that you're a little bit lost.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storm rolling in</td></tr>
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It began to thunder & lightning as we were almost back at the ship. We'd been watching the storm roll in, but we still managed to get completely soaked as we tried to make it back. Neither of us were prepared for rain so we threw on our bathing suits & jumped in the onboard hot tub to warm up. Once the chill wore off, we got cozy in our slippers & robes to watch the sailways from our balcony. We were first rewarded with a beautiful rainbow over the city followed by a gorgeous sunset. Naples was certainly a memorable day! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-48033931907137196262015-04-06T10:25:00.002-06:002015-04-06T10:26:19.675-06:00March in Instagram <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We were up at the lake for Easter Weekend so I took some time to catch up on blogging & photo editing. The photo editing went well, but the combination of a slow computer, large photo files, & slower than usual internet made putting a post together a pretty slow process. Blogger has been frustrating in other ways lately too. As much as writing your own blog code can be great, I'm looking to spend the bulk of my time writing. I'd also like an easier interface for working with photos. </div>
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Keep an eye out for what I think will be some positive blog changes. In the meantime, here's what we got up to last month according to Instagram!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZLvBamA4wS1IY03UO_8nlbJIDnaH4ReFKwXISwHfYrj5HMFtD3rb-G4-XnKreEWac-R90JgRlXAKrHcfy6IqmgO5xXduRboZK5SNsecw0hclZhPJq5ob4_tWM9GhjQXONzVTJ3312Ig/s1600/MarchInInstagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZLvBamA4wS1IY03UO_8nlbJIDnaH4ReFKwXISwHfYrj5HMFtD3rb-G4-XnKreEWac-R90JgRlXAKrHcfy6IqmgO5xXduRboZK5SNsecw0hclZhPJq5ob4_tWM9GhjQXONzVTJ3312Ig/s1600/MarchInInstagram.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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1. We took advantage of the mild weather & borrowed N's brother dog, Korra, for a hike up Sulphur Mountain. It's a quick little hike up & in the winter you can ride the Gondola back down for free!<br />
2. We celebrated our <a href="http://haveyoumetzaider.blogspot.ca/">friend's</a> birthday with a centurion & an epic dance party.<br />
3. I chopped a big chunk of hair off & for the first time ever, it's shorter than D's.<br />
4. N & I had a beautiful lamb dish at <a href="http://www.wine-ohs.com/">Wine-Ohs</a> for Big Taste this year.<br />
5. Long runs are back! I also scored these wicked lululemon leggings & a cute top when my number was drawn during an evening of spin! The awesome pattern is a new favourite!<br />
6. We joined a bunch of friends at Grape Escape again this year. We tried a lot of beer & wine, while checking out a bunch of food trucks!<br />
7. Enjoying a Flames game thanks to my parents. Even though we lost to Dallas in overtime, I have no complaints about watching live hockey.<br />
8. We took advantage of a very warm early spring day to sit outside at <a href="https://twitter.com/container_bar">Container Bar</a>. We're pretty sure they ran out of beer, thanks mostly to our large table of friends.<br />
9. Celebrating a friend's 30th Birthday with a hike up <a href="http://www.peakware.com/peaks.html?pk=1443">Mount Lady MacDonald</a>. She's merciless, but the views are incredible. I'm excited to have checked another summit off our list so early in the year even if my legs have only just forgiven me.<br />
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Hope you got to spend some time with family & friends for the long weekend. Happy Easter!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-19154125358443046912015-04-04T19:26:00.003-06:002015-04-04T19:38:15.732-06:00Honeymoon 11 \\ Sea Day One <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our first sea day, we really took advantage of the resort-feel of the ship. We spent a slow morning on our balcony enjoying coffee & breakfast, as had already become a routine for us. There was nothing but water for miles in every direction so even though we were technically surrounded by a few thousand people, it felt pretty secluded.<br />
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Eventually we decided to get moving for the day. Changing into bathing suits, we went in search of some lounge chairs near one of the numerous pools. Little did we know, these chairs are highly coveted. Any chair within view of a pool had been claimed early that morning. Rookie mistake. Luckily we arrived to the main pool just in time to watch the crew do the ice bucket challenge. We'd figure out our sun tanning situation later.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our cabin</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Pool</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaOhcsYVK4a_4NYnQs9S6TFN0AcGANyMwivor-o6Bs1aFTo4toXWJKT1SmGquhMbHLInAa8SjhcbTVJ2VNpudzYlnKW4GSzccOixRQRr_z51-YCMh_3IuUDHsLJvjPPjh-Vf0n_DrtbM/s1600/DSC_0877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaOhcsYVK4a_4NYnQs9S6TFN0AcGANyMwivor-o6Bs1aFTo4toXWJKT1SmGquhMbHLInAa8SjhcbTVJ2VNpudzYlnKW4GSzccOixRQRr_z51-YCMh_3IuUDHsLJvjPPjh-Vf0n_DrtbM/s1600/DSC_0877.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice Bucket Challenge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHHQOaTEFo2u-if0YLiGMwcqyCgiiO9hSAkjvmTuuhbnYgKMgV-xekW30YuHxA67XyKAKoxNaR79DZiMdO3dVlLKvigDaiWfIgUxUevZ6nZXEjUvjSgjciiqzcxeHNIU1o7vNdcTsIzM/s1600/IceBucket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHHQOaTEFo2u-if0YLiGMwcqyCgiiO9hSAkjvmTuuhbnYgKMgV-xekW30YuHxA67XyKAKoxNaR79DZiMdO3dVlLKvigDaiWfIgUxUevZ6nZXEjUvjSgjciiqzcxeHNIU1o7vNdcTsIzM/s1600/IceBucket.jpg" height="532" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Husband vs Wife</td></tr>
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The different ships in the P&O line were all raising money for their respective charities & decided to use the Ice Bucket Challenge to help raise funds. Department after department went up for their turn to be doused in icy water. Having just done the challenge ourselves the day after our wedding, we enjoyed it a little more as spectators. Judging from their reactions, I think their water may have been a bit colder than ours though.<br />
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Since we couldn't find prime lounge chairs around the pool, we decided to grab a table near one of the bars. It seemed like a good time for some Pims anyway & it was quickly turning into the perfect pool day. Neither of us had much Pims before - turns out it goes down pretty easy, so we decided to switch to beer after our pitcher quickly disappeared.<br />
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The main pool had a pretty good set up, with a very shallow outer section before dropping off significantly. It was perfect for cooling off with a drink in the summer heat so we took full advantage of the opportunity to relax, sun tan, & keep cool. It was the first day of true relaxation since our wedding so we were understandably excited.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6WtSF_5mQltzMb69-Yx_M39U2sjVKnO731K8irl7a1QZH4IZtYaO9ONlN_nxpkZUFX7ta8RjHmPQU8EMNHWZ8l-QMDc0HPJ4CAsjzs6WZqszKJXdv-aqqkAFjjG9p_2-m5rCQNKemXk/s1600/Poolside3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6WtSF_5mQltzMb69-Yx_M39U2sjVKnO731K8irl7a1QZH4IZtYaO9ONlN_nxpkZUFX7ta8RjHmPQU8EMNHWZ8l-QMDc0HPJ4CAsjzs6WZqszKJXdv-aqqkAFjjG9p_2-m5rCQNKemXk/s1600/Poolside3.jpg" height="483" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drinks by the pool</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poolside beers</td></tr>
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When we'd had our fill of the pool, we headed back to our balcony for a glass of wine before our massage. We don't generally splurge unless it's on food, drinks, & travel so I'd included a massage as a gift option on our honeyfund account. Thanks to a few generous friends, we were able to take advantage of the onboard spa & book a couples' hot stone massage. I've had a few sports massages, but this was my first experience with a relaxing massage. I really enjoyed it (<i>& in true Alanna fashion, I fell asleep at the end. I think I may have even started snoring. Signs of a truly relaxing day?</i>).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7fFZaC_x0jrq53qJEOZdGVV-g146XTpZSBhyphenhyphen90EPHR2zIYk9LQPr7drDm_z4sToKmqv5iFLQpUuYn0wJsqGyPYYbHJ5owA0BTOKB_qeRnTaZLc_bZGoT-DakmGfMg5zSNggFYYJtqVY/s1600/BalconyWine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7fFZaC_x0jrq53qJEOZdGVV-g146XTpZSBhyphenhyphen90EPHR2zIYk9LQPr7drDm_z4sToKmqv5iFLQpUuYn0wJsqGyPYYbHJ5owA0BTOKB_qeRnTaZLc_bZGoT-DakmGfMg5zSNggFYYJtqVY/s1600/BalconyWine.jpg" height="484" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balcony Wine Time</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEmuQgTbE4aEwfdVOIXED_9QGlIGQubTVafgtUYx5HAMGfzsYdhC5O_6BCHAX3-zl6t7v9HBFMyUeDf5vbfIikCVoLFEuygn63B7YZ9d0ehx86SbVD0zlGHCT0nDdyhyphenhyphenZZA_Zu5A4HLo/s1600/BalconyWine2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEmuQgTbE4aEwfdVOIXED_9QGlIGQubTVafgtUYx5HAMGfzsYdhC5O_6BCHAX3-zl6t7v9HBFMyUeDf5vbfIikCVoLFEuygn63B7YZ9d0ehx86SbVD0zlGHCT0nDdyhyphenhyphenZZA_Zu5A4HLo/s1600/BalconyWine2.jpg" height="484" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classy </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post Massage Sunset </td></tr>
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That evening was the formal dinner & Captain's Reception so we quickly got dressed in our best & headed over to the atrium. There were a few drinks followed by a speech & introductions of the senior staff by the captain. N had worn his suit from our wedding & I wore a sparkly little black dress. Leaving our cabin, we thought we were quite dressed up, but N was one of the few men not wearing a tux. Some of the ladies were even in ball gowns! At dinner, we sat with a group of six Scottish ladies. They were hilarious & completely enamoured with N (<i>especially as he was the only male at the table!</i>). They were probably my favourite seating assignment of the whole cruise!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain's Reception</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">End of the night Formal wear<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-66752955645162408322015-03-27T11:33:00.001-06:002015-03-27T11:33:44.438-06:00Honeymoon 10 \\ Florence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first morning on the ship, we woke up to a knock on our door. We'd pre-ordered room service the night before to make our early morning transfer a little more relaxed. While the meal was nothing to write home about, the luxury of enjoying breakfast in a comfy robe & slippers on your personal balcony certainly was. It became our favourite way to start the day!<br />
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Our transfer left Livorno for Florence at 8:45am. We opted for a self-guided day in the city so on the bus we received a map & some additional details on navigating the city including where to eat & what to do. It was the perfect choice for us - we got a few tips for our day, ample time to nap, & the freedom to wander at our own pace.<br />
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Florence is really compact. It doesn't take much more than 10 minutes to walk between sights so it makes for a pretty easy day. We saw most of the sights - Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria (<i>filled with many important statues including a replica of the David</i>), the Galleria dell'Accademia, & the Duomo - within an hour. There were throngs of people everywhere we turned. I still can't get over how busy it was.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People everywhere!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Ponte Vecchio</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lock everywhere</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">On the Ponte Vecchio</td></tr>
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Since we were a bit limited on time, we hadn't planned on visiting any museums. I overdid the museums on my first trip to Europe (<i>as did N</i>) so now I prefer to wander - eating, drinking, people watching, & maybe exploring a church, here & there. We'd expected our wandering to take a bit longer so when it didn't we decided it was worth waiting in line to climb the Duomo's cupola. The line was quite long so it took us over an hour to even get to the start. We were rewarded with incredible architecture from the minute we stepped inside & breathtaking panoramas from the top.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Florence's Duomo is quite impressive</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The climb is slow & crowded</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maxi dresses & narrow staircases don't really mix</td></tr>
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By the time we left Cathedral Square, we were ravenous from both the intense climb & the later hour. We picked a little restaurant with a terrace for a late lunch. Once again, the pasta was incredible - carbonera for me this time, followed by a shared calabrese pizza. Likely more food than two people needed, but we figured we deserved the reward. & it was our honeymoon - a phrase we repeated many times throughout our trip. You only get married once, right?!<br />
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After lunch, we wandered around looking for some wine to take back to the ship. We'd heard we might not be able to bring any back onboard, so we chose a cheap bottle just in case. This isn't exactly a feat in Europe, but we found it especially easy in Italy. It turned out to be a non-issue for us so we enjoyed a couple of drinks on our balcony as the ship left port. This became another staple in our cruise. I'm so glad we we gifted the upgrade to a cabin with a balcony. It really made our first cruise experience incredible.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best way to enjoy a class of wine</td></tr>
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That evening, we met our family friend for a glass of wine at the Glass House, one of the onboard restaurant. She gave us some tips for making the most of our week onboard & we made a plan to do dinner at another of the ships restaurants later that week called East. It was really great to catch up with her & get tips from such an expert.<br />
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That night we decided to forgo the formal dining room & try the Glass House instead. There is a small charge for menu items there, but it's nominal & the food is great. I'd definitely recommend checking out some of the options outside the main dining room if you're ever cruising.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quality photography c/o my iPhone 4s</td></tr>
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We had a sea day the next day so we decided to end our night at the ship's club, Havana. There, we proceeded to repeatedly clear the dance floor with our country music requests. Sounds like us.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-84164593660248426572015-03-18T14:09:00.000-06:002015-03-18T14:09:01.324-06:00Gymnastics Fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As a child, I remember spending an entire summer learning to do a cartwheel, & then practicing every single chance I got in order to perfect it. I think that kind of dedication is pretty common in children. Many of my favourite activities involved functional types of fitness like this. No one thought of it as fitness though so it remained fun. Recently, we've gotten back to those roots.<br />
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I read about Kyle Shewfelt's latest gymnastics classes in the <a href="http://www.kyleshewfeltgymnastics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Calgary-Herald-Article-July-2014.pdf">Herald</a> this summer. They've offered non-competitive gymnastics classes for kids since they opened their doors, but last spring they added a few adult options. I immediately knew this was something I would love to do, & told N about it. When my birthday rolled around, he gifted me a class. I was ecstatic! Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one who thought this would be an amazing opportunity & the class was full before I had a chance to register. Members get first dibs so I missed the winter session as well. A coworker of mine did get in, however (<i>the only non-member to make it!</i>), & convinced N & I to come down for Open Gym after his class a couple weeks ago.<br />
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Open gym gives you supervised access to the amazing facility. We tumbled, swung, climbed, jumped, & flipped our bodies around for an hour & a half. You couldn't wipe the goofy grin off my face the whole evening. It's a little bit like being a kid again. <a href="https://twitter.com/TanisFit">Tanis</a> teaches the Adult Gymnastics class from 6:30 - 8:00 pm followed by the Open Gym session.<br />
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The gym features a tumble track, ring, uneven bars, parallel bars, beams, a plyo floor, foam pit, vaults, & tons of different shaped mats like octagons & wedges. We've been to two sessions so far & I already feel like I've learned so much, all while getting great workouts. I only wish I'd started going sooner! My coworker has brought his Go Pro & recorded some of the stuff we've done. You can follow him to see more but I've posted a couple of my favourite videos below. I'm excited to see how we improve as time goes on (<i>N & I both have 10x drop-in passes now</i>).</div>
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Donkey kicks & a flip by me:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6oht6tgh64w" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Nathan flips:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wWKMnG_P3So" width="560"></iframe><br />
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My coworker:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/19qgtu-HSMc" width="560"></iframe><br />
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As someone who wants to get into an adult class, it probably isn't the best idea to blog about this fun new workout find, but I couldn't resist sharing. If you're looking to try something new & challenging, while feeling a bit like a kid again, I highly recommend checking out <a href="http://www.kyleshewfeltgymnastics.com/">Kyle Shewfelt Gymnastics</a>!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-9035031245195225322015-03-03T15:51:00.001-07:002015-03-03T15:51:59.006-07:00February In InstagramNo matter what, this recap seems to sneak up on me. Granted, February is the shortest month,but it still amazes me how quickly time can fly by. We got up to a lot judging from my Instagram feed. The unseasonably warm temperatures have resulted in much less hibernation than usual. We got outside more than you'd normally expect. It's a nice change, but I'm a little bit wary about what this means for our Spring & Summer. <div>
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We also booked some exciting things. We've decided to go to <a href="http://www.bigvalleyjamboree.com/">Big Valley Jamboree</a> this summer & we're officially going to Mexico again next February. As we continue our house hunt & hold off on big trips, it helps to have a couple vacation plans to look forward to. </div>
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Here's what we got up to this month according to Instagram: </div>
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1. Once again, we headed out to Panorama for a ski trip with some friends. Despite a rocky start, it was a great weekend. We even ventured into <a href="http://www.snowseekers.ca/britishcolumbia/panorama/divingintotayntonbowl">Taynton Bowl</a> - a backcountry-style part of the resort I'd previously found intimidating. Overcoming that fear meant skiing some of the best powder & terrain I've ever encountered. </div>
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2. Now that they've settled back into daily life after 3 months of travel, we presented our friends with a homemade (<i>slightly risqué</i>) calendar we made while we had access to their house.<br />3. H, Z, N, & I attended a wine tasting at <a href="http://metrovino.com/">Metrovino</a>. We learned quite a bit & picked up a couple beautiful bottles of wine. This wine shop continues to impress me with every visit. </div>
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4. N & I had a lovely Valentines Day. We started with oysters & cava at the recently opened <a href="http://rodneysoysterhousecalgary.com/">Rodney's Oyster House</a> followed by an incredible dinner at <a href="http://eatcucina.com/website/page/bistrohome">Cucina</a>. Their Chicken Liver Parfait is one of my favourite appetizers. </div>
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5. I took in a Flames game with my dad. Always a fun way to spend an evening. </div>
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6. N & I decided to take advantage of our proximity to the mountains & put our Banff Park Pass to use. Our first adventure was a leisurely hike at <a href="http://www.banff.ca/index.aspx?NID=648">Johnston Canyon</a>. It's a bit icy due to our warmer winter, but still an easy hike with some unique sights. </div>
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7. Another welcome addition to the food scene is <a href="http://thenashyyc.com/">The Nash</a>, Michael Noble's latest restaurant venture. N's brother got us a gift card for Christmas so we decided to check it out with some friends. A week later, I'm already looking for an excuse to go back (<i>despite it being a definite splurge</i>). </div>
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8. H & I got a sneak peek at some of the eggcellence going down for Beakerhead this year. We were visibly eggcited to learn <a href="http://downtownfood.ca/#row1">downtownfood</a> is involved. (<i>Confused? Keep an eye on <a href="https://twitter.com/Beakerhead">Twitter</a> for more info!</i>) </div>
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9. Night riding with some friends at <a href="http://yyc-cycle.com/">YYC Cycle</a> to cap off the month. Glow in the dark paint, lululemon giveaways, Juice Because samples, & an amazing workout with two incredible motivators = a fantastic Friday night! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-10217216725795216872015-02-25T13:00:00.002-07:002015-02-25T13:00:18.385-07:00Wedding \\ Getting Ready - The Girls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The morning of our wedding, I woke up at the condo my parents had rented. N & I had opted to spend the night apart. Our wedding party would be joining each of us at our respective parents' houses, making things pretty easy for both of us.<br />
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There were seven of us getting our makeup done, so our day started significantly earlier than the guys did. We were all at my parent's condo by 10 am, whereas the guys didn't meet up until 1 pm. Until I booked hair & makeup, I had never thought about how much time goes into getting seven girls ready for a wedding. It's a little bit crazy.<br />
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We started our day with bacon, eggs, & coffee. No surprises there! It seemed like the day flew by from there. Somewhere in there we had lunch, cracked champagne, & exchanged gifts.<br />
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I gifted each of my bridesmaids (<i>& my mom</i>) a kimono robe. They turned out adorable for our pictures together & were perfect for keeping our hair & makeup in place. N's mom also stopped by as I was getting my hair done. She gifted me a tiffany bracelet (<i>something blue!</i>) & a favourite French perfume we had all received a few years ago (<i>as a something borrowed</i>). It was a really sweet surprise.<br />
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The girls all did their own hair since they mostly prefer to wear it down. I think they all did a beautiful job. For my own hair, I wanted to look like myself so we started with loose waves, but added a couple braids for a half updo. Kris at <a href="http://www.inspirado.ca/">Inspirado Designs</a> captured exactly what I had in mind. It felt special without straying too far from my normal look. I was equally pleased with our makeup artist, <a href="http://www.bristeinartistry.com/">Bri</a>. Both ladies were so professional throughout my whole experience & we all looked beautiful.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">With our hair & makeup ready to go, we popped champagne for mimosas & opened the last few cards & gifts. N's gift to me was a beautiful pair of Tiffany earrings that match a favourite necklace of mine (</span><i style="text-align: center;">complete with handmade card</i><span style="text-align: center;">). We moved on to some photos in our robes before it was crunch time. These are some of my favourite photos with the girls. Can you really go wrong with a mini photo-shoot with your best girlfriends? (</span><i style="text-align: center;">Made even better with our mimosas!</i><span style="text-align: center;">)</span><br />
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We'd been pretty low key up until this point. As Carly (<i>half of the wonderful 3 haus team</i>) worked to keep us on track, we all got dressed. It definitely felt like crunch time by then as we were running a bit behind (<i>of course</i>). Right until the moment my mom zipped up my dress, I was a little bit nervous that it might not fit. Aside from a couple tricky clasps, it was perfect. That first moment in my wedding dress was really magical, but my dad seeing me for the first time was even more so. There are so many special moments on a wedding day & so many are captured here before the ceremony even began.<br />
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We did some final shots with the girls & my family at the condo before it was time to get in the limo & head off to Summerhill for the ceremony.<br />
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Six months later, I'm still having trouble narrowing down my favourites from our day. Thanks for letting me share another bit of our wedding with you!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-72609894135752759142015-02-20T15:24:00.002-07:002015-02-20T15:24:36.099-07:00A new logo for an old blogThis little blog has been around for a while - half a decade, to be precise. & it's had a lot of different designs. I figured it was about time to update my old header. I created it a few years ago & it was never truly what I wanted. I've been playing around with different design software, & learned how to create some different logos & banners. It's a lot of fun once you get the hang of it!<br />
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Here's a little throwback to my old design. I really did like those coffee cups, but it always felt a bit disjointed. & that left aligned menu bar drives me crazy!<br />
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I've fixed both of those a bit with this update. They're still not perfect so I'll probably fiddle more with them still. I loved blogger when I first started writing & still think it's a great free tool for beginners, but I'm slowly getting frustrated with its limitations. I've played around with some other options recently & am now trying to decide which route to take. I find myself doing more coding than I'd like in order to get things to display how I'd like within blogger. Even then, I find limitations. Coupled with a rudimentary iPad app, I'm just not sure I'm sold anymore. </div>
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On the other side, I really enjoy how connected to my other google applications this is. & there are always risks with switching to a new platform. </div>
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Has anyone gone through any of this before? What is your prefered platform? </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-77154937598427860592015-02-12T15:35:00.000-07:002015-02-12T15:36:32.631-07:00Honeymoon 009 \\ Portofino & Cruising<br />
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We woke up the next morning to a wonderful breakfast prepared by our Genoese host before heading off to meet our family friend at the cruise ship terminal. She got us all checked in & even took our bags so we could head out for the day unencumbered.<br />
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We'd gotten a recommendation to take the train to Santa Margherita & then hop on the boat or bus to Portofino - a small, but well-known Italian fishing village. We bought our tickets from one of the machines in the Genoa Piazza Principe Station for under 10 euros. The only confusing part was finding the right destination. Look for S. Margherita Ligure & a travel time of about 45 minutes. The trains seem to run often that time of year, so we didn't need to book in advance.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Margherita</td></tr>
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The weather was perfect when we arrived in Santa Margherita so we opted to take the ferry over the bus. It would also give us the opportunity to enjoy the coastline we'd heard so much about. As a boat lover, I can't imagine a more perfect introduction to the beauty of Liguria.<br />
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If you're looking for the cheaper option, the bus is a better choice. Seeing as only we only paid 10 euros round-trip each for the boat, it wasn't a huge splurge either. We had perfect weather too - all blue skies & calm waters. If you're planning on using the ferry service, this is their handy <a href="http://traghettiportofino.it/en/lines-and-trips/line-1/#ad-image-0">website</a>. Or you can do like we did & just show up in Santa Margherita & buy a ticket for the next boat. We weren't travelling at peak time, but we had no trouble.<br />
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As our boat pulled into the narrow harbour in Portofino, the reasons for its popularity became obvious. Crystal clear water, colourful homes, & a slower pace make this little village a breathtaking & relaxing stop. We spent the day wandered the surrounding hilly paths, checking out the castle, church, & lighthouse before sitting down to lunch in the busy harbour.<br />
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We hadn't done any research about where to eat so we picked a spot a bit further from the water & hoped for the best. Luckily, Trattoria Tripoli was a pleasant surprise. We went for a local beer (recommended by our waiter) followed by a clam spaghetti for N & the regional pesto & potato pasta for me. I'd read about the pesto in the region & jumped at the first opportunity to try it. I have no regrets.<br />
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Italians have this incredible ability to take the simplest ingredients & turn them into something unforgettable. Its origins are in this region, so while I expected it to be great, I didn't expect it to blow me away. I've made pesto many times, but I have never tasted a pesto with such depth of flavour. I truly didn't think pesto could taste like that. The simple fact that I don't love pasta when I'm at home, but ate it daily in Italy certainly speaks to the quality of the food in this country & the level of care that goes into its preparation.<br />
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I could write a novel on how much I enjoyed everything we put in our mouths in every city we visited in Italy, but just take my word for it & go. Eat! I promise it's worth it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm drooling over this pesto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After lunch we wandered a little more, hiking a steep road to take it some more of the incredible views, before catching a boat back to Santa Margherita. Trains come through the area pretty often that time of year so, once again, we easily caught one back to Genoa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our ship: Ventura!</td></tr>
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It was our first time on a cruise so we were pretty in awe of everything from the moment we boarded. We found out which cabin we were in & arrived to our find out luggage had been delivered & we'd been gifted a bottle of prosecco from our family friend. It was such a lovely surprise! </div>
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My parents had also upgraded us to a cabin with a balcony as a wedding gift. They insisted that we would want it & after our week onboard, I couldn't agree more. I'd highly recommend the splurge to anyone. We used ours every day.<br />
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As our ship prepared to leave, we popped the prosecco & got comfortable in our chairs. We sat outside watching the shore fade into the distance, sipping on prosecco, & enjoying the perfect evening.<br />
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Our first meal was in the main dining room. Each meal included three courses & we took advantage of cheese for dessert every night, ordering Branston Pickle to go with it, of course. Every since my mom introduced us to Branston Pickle with Stilton Blue Cheese, we've been kind of obsessed. (<i>& when you're on a British Cruise, why not take advantage!</i>)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Branston Pickle & Cheese</td></tr>
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The rest of the evening was spent exploring the ship. It was huge! You can do pretty much anything from relaxing with a drink to golfing or playing a game of basketball. It's amazing! I think we only really figured out where everything was halfway through our week onboard.<br />
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It was nice to get a feel for the ship, but we made sure to get to bed pretty early. We had scheduled an early transfer to Florence so we wanted to get a good night's rest.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-66930806866563750172015-02-05T15:15:00.001-07:002015-02-05T15:15:25.477-07:00January In InstagramIt always takes me at least a month to get used to writing a new year & even then, I still do a bit of a double take when I see it. I've said January 2014 countless times this month & considering how quickly it went by, I'm not sure that's going to change anytime soon. I do the same thing with my age right after my birthday. I'm sure my friends won't let me forget how old I am turning this year though. Yikes! As usual this month was filled with friends & food. Surprise, surprise! Welcome to our lives. Here's what we got up to:<br />
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1. We rung in the New Year with our closest friends & a lovely bottle of Prosecco.<br />
2. Taking advantage of one of my best friends being in town. Her visits are always too quick, but we saw a lot of eachother & I'm so grateful for that.<br />
3. My MOH celebrated her birthday on the first Friday of January. We took the day off to celebrate, grabbing brunch at a <a href="http://eatoeb.com/">favourite spot</a> in the morning, getting manicure, & chatting on my couch over wine & cheese. Happy Birthday, D!<br />
4. Fratello opened a new restaurant where the iconic Melrose Bar used to be so we met up for brunch to check it out. <a href="http://www.corbeaux.com/">Corbeaux</a> is quickly becoming a favourite. We highly recommend...everything.<br />
5. Putting a Wedding Shower gift to good use with a trip to <a href="http://peasantcheese.com/">Peasant cheese shop</a> for some abondance, roquefort carles, & duck mousse with pink peppercorn. New favourite spot for cheese or<br />
pâté - they'll even let you sample before you buy!<div>
6. The days are getting longer so my walks home aren't in the dark anymore. This skyline is my favourite part of my walk home. </div>
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7. We had some unseasonably warm weather last week - so warm, we did a 10 km walk that ended with beers on a patio. Yes, it's still January.<br />8. I've been including the Crescent Heights on every walk home from work in hopes that they'll get easier to run. I registered to run the Calgary Half Marathon at the end of May & despite the course being flat, I find hill/stair training helps. </div>
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9. Testing my arm strength at <a href="http://wurst.ca/">Wurst</a> with a stein holding competition. A litre of water gets real heavy, real quick!<br /><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-14286352137179258652015-01-26T12:44:00.000-07:002015-01-26T12:45:11.946-07:00Wedding \\ The Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been meaning to blog a little bit more about our Wedding, but have been going back & forth about how I want to discuss it. At first, I thought it would make sense to try & give some tips based on what we learned. As I've distanced myself from the day, however, I've realized that that's never been the intention of my blog. I'm not an expert on wedding planning by any stretch, just a girl with a lot of opinions. & this blog has never been of the advice-giving kind. I'm more about sharing stories. So let's get back to that.<br />
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Many of our wedding guests had to travel to our wedding. In fact, the majority of our guests had long drives or flights to join us. While it wasn't what you'd typically picture when you hear "destination wedding", it really was one. & it's for that very reason that we had things planned for the whole weekend. Our Sunday wedding worked out perfectly for organizing a true summer weekend in Kelowna.<br />
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N & I set out for the interior the Wednesday before. We would leave on our honeymoon immediately following the wedding, so we were pretty eager to say goodbye to work for a few weeks & start our vacation. We couldn't think of a better way to kick things off than by joining our friends for a quick visit in the Shuswap. We spent Thursday boating & hiking & learning new skills behind their beautiful boat. Our lovely hosts provided the perfect start to our weekend with good food, amazing company, & our favourite lake activities. We were so grateful for their invitation, & so glad we decided to take the extra vacation day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A day on the Shuswap with some great people - photo from H</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEtkWXGa9t89wUkpgyhWITgBc-p5kUAq0wAnD0fYUQ7rUXdYds7kiW-lZWgJ3ViaqawABsvWgtr0BX7tzcWZJ5xxu3NpbPAqdPdnZAcsCQ2zaUaZnbrl0BPJkgLka_bX2ilL40TQvZKU/s1600/wakeboardsurf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEtkWXGa9t89wUkpgyhWITgBc-p5kUAq0wAnD0fYUQ7rUXdYds7kiW-lZWgJ3ViaqawABsvWgtr0BX7tzcWZJ5xxu3NpbPAqdPdnZAcsCQ2zaUaZnbrl0BPJkgLka_bX2ilL40TQvZKU/s1600/wakeboardsurf.jpg" height="466" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wakeboarding & Wakesurfing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">H showing off her skills while I'm just happy to be up!</td></tr>
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The boys had a golf game scheduled early Friday morning in Kelowna, so they packed up the car & set out pretty early. We couldn't check in until the afternoon, so we took our time packing the cars & making the drive. Friday was pretty low key. We had lunch & drinks on a patio, settled into our accommodations, met extended family, & enjoyed the perfect Okanagan weather.<br />
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Saturday was a bit busier for the wedding party. We started the day at our venue, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, for our rehearsal. My parents, our commissioner, our party joined us to rehearse the ceremony for the first time. I blubbered through our I do's in typical Alanna fashion. It was ridiculous, but no one there was overly surprised. We left with explicit instructions to drink a lot of water & the knowledge that we were definitely going to forget parts of what we'd just practiced.<br />
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We had most of the rest of the day free to enjoy the weather (<i>or finish up some last-minute crafts, as I think my mom did...</i>) so N & hit the pool at his parents for a couple hours before convincing my dad to take us out on the boat. We both wanted to have one last wakeboard before the wedding, so a bunch of us loaded into the boat & went for the tamest wakeboard ride of my life. I don't think there could have been a more perfect way to spend my last day as an Adair.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just hanging out inside the wake</td></tr>
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Our rehearsal dinner that evening was on Earl's patio downtown. N's brother had worked at that location so he was able to get us good spot for dinner. N's mom even got to come by early & add some decorations. It was a great choice, as the patio overlooks the marina downtown. It's got one of the best views in Kelowna!<br />
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We shared a bunch of appetizers, & had some great summer drinks & a lovely meal. There were even a couple little speeches. I was so impressed with N's. He has a way with words that surprised most of the Wedding Party, since that's not a side he often let's anyone see. I even managed to get through the majority of mine without many tears. The entire Wedding Party still had money on me crying through the ceremony. I can't really blame them.<br />
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After dinner, N's mom had planned a party for everyone at the house they rented. She wanted to give everyone a chance to meet each other & mingle before the Wedding. We arrived to find the backyard set up with lights, coolers full of drinks, & even the cutest s'more roasting station. It was a really relaxed evening with everyone before the big day & gave us a chance to welcome our guests to Kelowna.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable Smores by N's mom</td></tr>
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At the end of the night, I said goodnight to N & caught a ride back to my parents place. We'd decided to spend our last night apart.</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">(</span><i style="text-align: start;">Some of these photos are mine &some of them are from Instagram or Facebook albums. All of them are marvelous!</i><span style="text-align: start;">)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-52450021088299852632015-01-22T09:36:00.004-07:002015-01-22T12:34:45.541-07:00hygge<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25.2000007629395px;">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The warm glow of candlelight is hygge. Friends and family — that’s hygge too. And let’s not forget the eating and drinking — preferably sitting around the table for hours on end discussing the big and small things in life." Hygge's high season is winter, and Christmas lights, candles galore, and other manifestations of warmth and light, including warm alcoholic beverages, are key to the concept. (<a href="http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/7-cultural-concepts-we-dont-have-in-the-us">Source</a>)</blockquote>
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<span style="line-height: 25.2000007629395px;">This beautiful Danish concept has been on my mind lately, & although it hasn't been particularly cold, I think it deserves a place in my life. Here's to making a more conscious effort to embrace this cozy concept.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 25.2000007629395px;">Here's to slowing down, connecting with friends, & carving out some time for the simpler things. Here's to adding a little hygge. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-83586602248773229002015-01-12T14:53:00.001-07:002015-01-12T14:53:11.028-07:00Bullet Journaling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've always tried to make a point of journaling. I think it was even one of my new years resolutions last year - to physically write more. There's something so great about having my memories logged all in one place. Moleskine journals are my absolute favourite; I think they're the perfect journal to tuck into your purse & especially great for travelling. I have a whole collection to look back on from each of my trips & have often given them as gifts. They've even got the perfect little pocket at the back for storing things you collect along the way. <br />
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That's all well & good for while I'm away, but what about when I'm back at home? I find don't always take the time to sit down & write outside of travelling. As much as I enjoy it, I find myself prioritizing other hobbies. I've also found that although I love technology, I don't love digital solutions for day planners & calendars. There's something so much more satisfying about analog options. I'm a sucker for writing things down, feeling the connection of pen to paper. (<i>Is that a thing?</i>)<br />
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Last week, I read about <a href="http://www.bulletjournal.com/">Bullet Journals</a> & it just seemed like such a perfect solution for me. I love lists. I love moleskin journals, & I love journalling & analog planners. It pretty much combines all of these things in a really simple format.<br />
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I picked up a graph paper moleskin from Indigo on my way home from work & have been using it ever since. (<i>Any excuse for a new moleskine journal, right?</i>)The idea is really simple & so far I love it. We'll see how it goes as the month progresses & whether I still find it useful by the end of the month.<br />
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If you're looking for a simple way to journal or keep track of to dos, check out the bullet journal. Do you have a favourite way to keep track of life's details?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-81886209336971373292015-01-07T09:19:00.000-07:002015-01-07T09:19:38.523-07:00December In Instagram<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Twenty Fifteen. We're here. December is officially last year. It always sounds a bit odd to refer to something that happened so recently as last year. This year has some big shoes to feel. I mean, last year we got married & went on our first trip together to another continent. It was a big one. Nonetheless, I'm excited for what 2015 has in store for us. I wish I could say we had another big trip planned, but we're keeping closer to home this year. We're looking for a house, putting down roots, trying that on for size. We'll see how it goes. (<i>Don't worry, I've already got 5 more trips planned for the years after this one...</i>) This year will be my fourth back in Calgary. In some ways it feels like a long time to be in one place. But I digress, this isn't a 2014 recap. Let's get on with it! Here's what we got up to in December according to my favourite social media app: </div>
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1. I can't believe it took us this long, but we finally went to the new <a href="http://anju.ca/">Anju</a>. We shared all of our favourites (<i>they added pork belly to the crispy tofu. It's perfect!</i>) & I'm already itching to go back. We rounded out the evening at ATP's performance of Charlotte's Web. It was a wonderful date night.<br />
2. My work Christmas party lived up to its reputation & we had a great time with my wonderful coworkers. There were many drinks & lots of hilarious dance moves.<br />
3. Our good friends returned from South America just in time for Market Collective & an outdoor winter pop up at <a href="https://twitter.com/Container_Bar">Container Bar</a>. <a href="https://currentlycraving.wordpress.com/">H</a> & I snuggled under blankets, enjoyed mulled wine & shared crispy crepes, while chatting with her bar manager. Such a cool group of guys running the show over there!<br />
4. Dad & I enjoying my parents annual Christmas Cocktail Party. Good food, festive drinks, my favourite people.<br />
5. We enjoyed our first day on the slopes at Lake Louise for our friends' annual Ski Trip. It's shaping up to be a pretty good year if this snow continues!<br />
6. I started this Christmas Day 5 km Tradition a few years ago. The three of us are still the only participants to date.<br />
7. We spent the holidays at my parents' place in BC. Thanks for finding the weirdest Christmas crackers, mom. This picture is so greasy.<br />
8. Boxing Day Skiing trumps shopping in our books. We spent the day at Panorama with my family. We're the three best friends that anybody could ever have and we'll never ever ever ever leave each other. Right guys?<br />
9. & the final day of the year. We started our evening with a steak dinner & ended it at a house party with some of our closest friends.<br />
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Happy New Year everyone!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-86321171478567123782014-12-31T15:20:00.001-07:002014-12-31T15:20:46.099-07:00Happy New YearIt's going to be pretty tough to top 2014. You've got some big shoes to fill, 2015. <div><br></div><div>Happy New Year, friends! Mes meilleurs vœux pour la nouvelle an! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lSmWVElrNeGZPrX3azNvHZJe6ZaUxIHZzWTBwnURRSixcrzakONls2JKlw3LmeNFjw1GInsrNvtQRNLHXe-Fkzw1T3pHZHkgBNdLnQlcN1cOxKEUlwbw8J5A9fWld6ln4EJHwV3Q1Rg/s640/blogger-image--859257112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lSmWVElrNeGZPrX3azNvHZJe6ZaUxIHZzWTBwnURRSixcrzakONls2JKlw3LmeNFjw1GInsrNvtQRNLHXe-Fkzw1T3pHZHkgBNdLnQlcN1cOxKEUlwbw8J5A9fWld6ln4EJHwV3Q1Rg/s640/blogger-image--859257112.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>xx, </div><div>A&N </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-66885524985664710222014-12-30T16:23:00.002-07:002014-12-30T16:23:43.492-07:00Honeymoon 008 \\ Genoa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXYQNsyYqexFIxRDbUoZepMMcTixRyDwb2n_y-I-Gp5AT2gD6zEGJ0ib0RqKfjnQauwb9PT6NaeXYpKsAu0f3oD7kJ6GhtkuVQcThZSkcArdpeDU-aNUXqeqhPOfLOYo7YamG_xUohGM/s1600/DSC_0620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXYQNsyYqexFIxRDbUoZepMMcTixRyDwb2n_y-I-Gp5AT2gD6zEGJ0ib0RqKfjnQauwb9PT6NaeXYpKsAu0f3oD7kJ6GhtkuVQcThZSkcArdpeDU-aNUXqeqhPOfLOYo7YamG_xUohGM/s1600/DSC_0620.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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When I first started planning our honeymoon, I figured we'd fly from Lyon to Genoa for the start of our cruise. As I did more research, however, I was pleased to discover that the train would actually be quicker. I am a big proponent of train travel. I originally assumed we could hop on a flight to Genoa pretty easily, but all routes required a stopover in Zurich or Frankfurt, forcing a major detour. So instead we opted to spend the day on the train. Not only would it be cheaper, we'd arrive earlier & the train station would be a few metro stops away from our <a href="https://www.airbnb.ca/">airbnb</a> rental in the historic district. Our train would leave Lyon a little bit earlier, but since we wouldn't have to travel out to the airport, we'd actually leave our rental later. Perfect!<br />
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Our train made a couple of stops along the way, first in Chambéry & then in Turin. We had a couple hours in Turin & when we arrived at Turin Porta Susa, I thought we were in for a pretty boring stopover. There weren't a whole lot of amenities going on. I pulled out our tickets to double check the time we were leaving at & quickly realized we were supposed to leave from Turin Porta Nuova. They'd sold us tickets that had a different departure station than the one we'd arrived in. I swear Italian train travel is always an adventure! We quickly purchased tickets from a surly ticket agent & ran to catch our new train, only to get kicked off due to technically difficulties. A friendly university student pointed us towards the metro - it turns out we could have done this all along. Thanks, Mr Ticket Agent.<br />
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Our host in Genoa had given us very simple instructions to his apartment in the centre. We had arranged to meet him when he got off work, but arrived a bit early so we grabbed a drink in the shadow of the cathedral around the corner from his place.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drinks in the square by the Cathedrale</td></tr>
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Maurizio welcomed us into his beautiful attic apartment & gave us suggestions for how to spend our evening. He pointed out the important sights, his favourite restaurants, & the best gelato on a map. We didn't have long so he made sure to give us a manageable list, which we definitely appreciated. This kind of hospitality is what truly makes airbnb my new favourite service.<br />
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We set out for the old quarter, map in hand. Luckily, this historic area is quite compact & it only took us about 10 minutes to get there. The buildings here are so different from those in France. With mostly flat facades, they've painted columns & art to mimic different types of architecture. We both found it quite beautiful. Maurizio had suggested a gelato shop up the hill. He told us it was his favourite place to get get granita. We opted for gelato & happened to accidentally time it perfectly for the sunset. The little shop is located on the spianata Castelletto, overlooking the port city. You can take the funicular up from the old district or find your way up the maze of stairs, like we did.<br />
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We decided to have dinner in another spot recommended by our host. Conveniently located around the corner from our apartment, <a href="http://www.cantinesquarciafico.it/">Cantine Squarafico</a> is a romantic little spot with a great menu, helpful & friendly staff, & a wonderful atmosphere in an underground setting. Our server spoke perfect english & recommended a beautiful local wine. It was exactly what we were looking for & started things off on the right foot. It doubles as a wine store, so if you're not looking for dinner, I'd recommend stopping in to take a look at their wine selection. If you do decide to eat here, go for the lobster taglioni. It was by far our favourite part of the meal - we'd decided to share our appetizers & found ourselves fighting for more lobster. We could have ordered one each.<br />
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We capped off the evening with a wander through the summer market in the Porto Antico and a beer on our spectacular rooftop terrace. They had built a little terrace right into the tile rooftop. Our host brought us some lanterns & we sat at the little table, enjoying our beer & the impressive view. Most of the buildings are quite short so we had an unobstructed view of our surroundings, including the nearby port & Cathedral next door. It was gorgeous.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening Light</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interesting restaurant in the Old Port</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our terrace in daylight</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">& the view at night</td></tr>
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I didn't have any expectations for Genoa so it was a pleasant surprise to find we enjoyed our short time there so much. The friendly people, beautiful sights, & incredible food make it a very worthwhile destination. I wouldn't hesitate to book another few days to explore a little further.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-28700973374825710922014-12-25T10:27:00.001-07:002014-12-25T10:29:54.141-07:00Merry Christmas!The stockings are hung, presents are around the tree, coffee is brewing, & we're waiting on the rest of my family to rise. I'm certain we're the last to open our presents Christmas morning. It's a funny little tradition in this house. <div><br></div><div>I hope you're all having a marvellous Christmas filled with your own traditions. Merry Christmas from our house to yours. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSiqLkAQHXchXcrZ2Xgnl_f6eVx90Dx4FKnIBAZ4UjSpTB50SlLpO-c0s-BYRv_6jDM4ZJxoFCZ9DHykWqFCYFkBUgcgK8PefUz5fU7zj7d74LJdChg_yivAYAzofugWuVTreNpgKTpg/s640/blogger-image--536994572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSiqLkAQHXchXcrZ2Xgnl_f6eVx90Dx4FKnIBAZ4UjSpTB50SlLpO-c0s-BYRv_6jDM4ZJxoFCZ9DHykWqFCYFkBUgcgK8PefUz5fU7zj7d74LJdChg_yivAYAzofugWuVTreNpgKTpg/s640/blogger-image--536994572.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">All the best for 2015! </div>xx</div><div>A&N </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-9359532968257112892014-12-23T11:40:00.000-07:002014-12-23T11:43:52.575-07:00Honeymoon 007 \\ A bientot, Lyon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our final day in Lyon, we majorly slept in. As a seasoned traveller, I likely should have realized we weren't on European time yet, but I guess wine clouded my judgement & I didn't set an alarm. I still had a few things I wanted to show N, so it was a bit disappointing to realize we'd missed so much of the day.<br />
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I'd promised my coworker I'd stop by Starbucks again so that was our first stop once we got moving. He was in a meeting, but snuck out for a quick chat. My old store manager was also there, so it was fun to say hi to her as well. Soufien & I made tentative plans for later on as the clock was ticking for N & I to get a real lunch.<br />
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Unfortunately, one of our maps placed the restaurant in the wrong location, so we wasted precious time on a wild goose chase. When we finally arrived at the correct location, they had stopped serving lunch. Instead, we made a dinner reservation & headed to a more touristy spot in Vieux Lyon for a traditional style bouchon lunch. </div>
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This is the type of meal you tend to waddle away from. Traditional Lyonnais food is heavy. It's full of the type of things you'd find at Grandma's, if your Grandma is a French woman who enjoys butter & offal. My starter salad was mostly bacon with a side of greens & a hard boiled egg. We managed to find back to Place des Terreaux for a tour of <a href="http://www.atelierdesoierie.com/index.php?lang=2">L'Atelier de la Soierie</a> by one of the artists. She was taking a break from the free-hand floral designs she creates. The shop was also in the middle of filling a large order of beautiful silk scarves so we saw a bit of that process. I highly recommend a visit if you're passing through Lyon. The shopkeepers are friendly, helpful, & always willing to explain a bit of the historic process they continue to use. They're one of the last shops to still use this method, so it's a pretty unique experience.<br />
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The square was getting busy so we decided to join some of the locals for a few beers at Café Leffe. Place des Terreaux was one of my favourite squares to grab a drink & people watch. There's always so much going on as it's a major thoroughfare for locals & the site of many events. It also gave us a chance to use free wifi to make plans with some of my friends for later that evening - the joys of being without cell reception.<br />
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Our dinner that evening was another very traditional Lyonnais meal. <a href="http://www.cafecomptoirabel.fr/">Café Comptoir Abel</a> is said to be the oldest & most authentic bouchon in the city. We went for some very traditional dishes including veal, kidney, andouillette, & paté. If you want to be adventurous, this is the place to do it. & while many of those foods probably aren't in your regular dinner rotation, I highly recommend giving them a try in Lyon. These dishes are typical of what was cooked regionally by the 19th century middle class, when many women began working as cooks. (<i>You can read more about the Lyonnais "mothers" & this simple style of cooking <a href="http://www.lesbouchonslyonnais.org/en/excellence-in-lyon/francais-les-meres-lyonnaise/">here</a>.</i>)<br />
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It was a beautiful evening to sit outside on the patio. In typical A&N fashion, we ordered way more food than necessary, especially considering these dishes are on the heavier site & we'd had a big lunch. This is a definite theme when we travel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you ever ask N to take your photo, he'll take about 15. By the end, I always look like this. </td></tr>
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After dinner, we met two coworkers from my Starbucks days at a little pub on the Presqu'île. It was fun to catch up with them & properly introduce N. We reminisced over how much had changed in the last six years (<i>& how much really hadn't</i>). I can't imagine a better way to wrap up our time in Lyon then with great company, a few drinks, & a beautiful night on a patio.<br />
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The next morning we boarded an early train for Italy. It was bittersweet to be moving on from France, but exciting to prepare for new adventures in Italy. Genoa was next on the list & the beginning of our weeklong cruise.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-4183728740182187562014-12-19T16:05:00.000-07:002014-12-19T16:13:17.505-07:00Noel, Noel <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Is it possible to be homesick for a place that isn't really home? With Christmas around the corner, I certainly feel that way. While I love many of our traditions here at home, there are many things I miss about this time I year abroad too.<br />
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I find my feelings of nostalgia are especially strong in December as I reminisce about the Christmas Markets this time of year. While most people tend to plan their trips in the summer months, I find there's something particularly special about Christmas in France (<i>& England</i>). The cities are so festive, filled with lights & decorations. It's hard not to get caught up in it.<br />
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That's not to say that we don't get into the Christmas Spirit in Canada - we certainly do. & I love heading out to the mountains to celebrate this holiday with family & friends. I just can't shake the feeling that we're missing this wonderful part of Christmas in Europe: the Market.<br />
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We have Christmas Markets & I've been to a few that I've enjoyed, but a Christmas Market in Europe is a thing to experience. I loved wandering my neighbourhood one in the evenings. Amongst the typical homemade gifts you see in most markets, you'll also find delicious food & wonderful drinks. My favourite market treat is raclette with a side of vin chaud (<i>mulled wine</i>), of course. The raclette tartine or tartiflette are also great choices. You really can't go wrong with warm, melted cheese. A European Christmas Market is the perfect place to meet up with friends or wander yourself. & with most of these markets in the city center, they're easily accessible.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raclette Tartine: baguette, raclette cheese, & charcuterie. Perfect!</td></tr>
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The daily morning market is still my very favourite, but the daily Christmas market is a close second. Europe is beautiful any time of year, of course, but I especially love the cooler months. Don't let the fact that it's a less popular time to travel deter you - it truly has its own merits. It's less busy & if you go in November, you'll get to experience the beginning of the Christmas season. You may not be sitting on a beach this time of year, but you can certainly brag about the warmer temperatures to your friends back home (<i>if you're Canadian at least</i>)!<br />
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Most of my photos here are pre-DSLR days, so don't let the grainy low light shots deter you. I hope the beauty of the French Christmas Market still shines through. I have such fond memories of them.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-73033251918844765222014-12-11T11:26:00.002-07:002014-12-11T11:29:11.377-07:00Honeymoon 006 \\ Trabouling in Lyon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've mentioned many times that I don't usually enjoy tours. That hasn't changed. I still prefer to explore on my own, but even I'm willing to make exceptions. Traboules require a bit of explanation & it can be nice to let someone else take the reigns (<i>plus I'm a huge nerd for history</i>). & there's so much history in Lyon. This may actually explain why I first gravitated to it. I also fell in love with these weird little passageways on my first visit.<br />
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The latest version of this tour included fancy headphones. Not only did they make us look super cool, but they also made it easier to hear our soft-spoken French tour guide as we wandered the narrow streets & used the traboules to weave between streets & buildings. I especially liked the guide's description of a traboule as "a public passage in a private space".<br />
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Traboules are unique to Lyon so it can be tough to explain them to someone who's never experienced them. I know N didn't quite get it until we were actually trabouling.</div>
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The residents of these buildings have agreed to allow access to the public. They ask that we respect the tranquility of the spaces by passing in silence. The streets outside can be noisy, which makes the quiet traboules feel especially tranquil. If you decide to explore the area on your own, ask for a map at the Tourist Office: each traboule is marked on the map to make route-planning simple. <br />
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Rue St Jean, the main street of Vieux Lyon, can be crowded, but as you make your way through these passageways, you'll often find yourself alone. You'll also get to experience beautiful architecture that would otherwise remain hidden if the residents of this neighbourhood hadn't agreed it was worth allowing tourists & locals alike to explore. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Tour Rose is one of the most well-known traboules</td></tr>
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After the tour, we had some time to kill before our late dinner reservation. On the hunt for wine & a good picnic spot, we headed over to Les Berges du Rhône. Les Berges is a park along the banks of the Rhône, & a premier spot for picnicking. There's always something going on! This time we stumbled upon a board game event: hundreds of people playing all different kind of games & enjoying the beautiful day. Unfortunately, being Sunday, most stores were closed & we struck out in our wine search at every tabac on that side of town. Instead, we grabbed a drink on one of the patios along the river. It wasn't exactly the picnic we had in mind, but no real complaints there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the sun on our way to Les Berges</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A game of Carcassonne in the park</td></tr>
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Our <i>balade</i> eventually led us to one of the newer Starbucks along Rue de la Ré. I wanted to see if one of my friends was working. Turns out he had transferred back to the store we'd worked together at in France, so we made our way up there. Of course, I had to take a photo outside. There she is, the first Starbucks of many! Although, Soufien wasn't working when we visited, we did run into another of my coworkers & made plans to come back to following day to see S.<br />
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On our way back to our apartment, I remembered that épiceries often carry wine so we grabbed a bottle. Success! Who would have thought it could be so difficult to find wine in France?! Back at our place, we threw open the giant windows, laid our feast out on the kitchen counter, & relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. </div>
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It's hard to deny that Lyon is gorgeous with it's old buildings on the hill & Fourvière in the distance. I could have hung out in that apartment for another week enjoying that view & visiting the market in Croix Rousse daily. While there's so much of the world I want to see, I think I'll always want to go back to Lyon.</div>
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That night, we got a bit dressed up & headed out for a late dinner at <a href="http://www.nordsudbrasseries.com/salons/l%27est.html">Brasserie de L'Est</a> - one of Paul Bocuse's brasseries. Located in the old Brotteaux Train Station, the menu & decor are meant to take you on a Round The World trip. A miniature train circles the dining room above your head, paying homage to the buildings' past.<br />
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I'd been to another of Bocuse's Brasseries, Le Sud, when I lived in Lyon & it was a wonderful experience so I was really looking forward to this dinner. It certainly did not disappoint. Paul Bocuse is such an icon in this region, & in the culinary community. A visit to one of his restaurants should definitely be on your To Do list.<br />
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As for our meals, N & I shared Salmon Gravlax & Foie Gras Mousse to start. Then N went for the cod while I had beef. Both were delicious & cooked perfectly. My beef came with a side of thick-cut fries, which were kept warm over a candle. I thought it was pretty cute. To cap things off, we shared an excessively large crème brulée - a desert I can never resist.<br />
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We wrapped up our meal just in time to catch the last metro home & tucked ourselves into bed satisfied with our wonderful day.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-7219186498045055702014-12-08T10:32:00.000-07:002014-12-08T10:32:02.979-07:00November in InstagramI'm using a different method to post this month's Instagram recap. You'll have to let me know if you like it. It's significantly less time consuming than my previous methods, which I'm always a fan of. It might not be the best quality though. I really wish tables with photos weren't such a pain in blogger. It takes me back to my first website, when I almost always chose to write in html. Now, I'm the complete opposite. I find I'm much more motivated to blog about what's going on than to write a bunch of html to get those thoughts up there. Maybe one day I'll get back into it, but for now I'm still wishing on a better way to add tables. You hear that, blogger! Get on it. We like tables. & while you're at it, I'd like to put two photos side by side & have them look nice, without using photoshop. Consider it my blogging Christmas Wishlist. I'm sure I'm not the first to want these things!<br />
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Here's what we got up to this November:<br />
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1. We started off the month with Banff Winterstart. It's an 8 km night run up Banff's Tunnel Mountain. N & a few of our friends dressed as penguins. I highly recommend this run. We had a great time!<br />
2. Rouladen has always been a winter favourite for my family. I wanted to share that with N, so I made a paleo version. It was delicious!<br />
3. Saturday morning coffee in bed has become a staple lately. N gets up at 9:30 & puts coffee on. He likes to get up & play games, while I sit in bed & read. I like these kind of slow starts.<br />
4. I've been writing Thank Yous all month. I really wanted them to be genuine so I took my time. Sometimes wine was involved. My desk is messy.<br />
5. I've been making an effort to workout more this month. As soon as the temperature dropped, my motivation evaporated, but this month I made an effort to get my butt moving at least four times a week. Many burpees were involved.<br />
6. We got a beautiful Staub Cast-Iron Grill Pan as a Wedding Gift & christened it with some delicious grass-fed beef. This is my kind of Friday evening at home.<br />
7. Brunch at <a href="http://eatoeb.com/">OEB</a> is a monthly thing for us. Their breakfast poutine is by far the absolute best way to start the day. I literally compare every breakfast to theirs. It's always worth the wait.<br />
8. D & I had a girls night with some of her coworkers last week. We grabbed dinner & drinks & then hit the mall for some shopping during the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/COREshopping">'Twas the Night</a> event.<br />
9. My awesome optometrist (& friend!) hooked me up with some awesome Ray Bans. I'm really excited for longer days so I can more wear out of them.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-40502542556608236082014-12-03T16:00:00.001-07:002014-12-04T22:58:07.491-07:00Winter thoughts<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Winter may not be official for another couple weeks, but our climate certainly says otherwise. We've been bundling up, wearing extra layers of wool, & trudging through snow banks for a couple weeks now. & I love many aspects of winter - planning ski trips with friends, comfy wool socks (<i><a href="http://www.marks.com/shop/en/marks-marksdefaultsalescatalog/mens/mens-socks-x/below-zero-socks--229">these</a> are a staple for me. They're men's but they last for years</i>), flannel & leggings, carefully braising beautiful meals (<i>winter cooking is probably my favourite</i>), skating at the rink in our neighbourhood, & reading by the fire at my parents' house in the mountains. Just thinking about all this gets me pretty excited for the winter months ahead.<br />
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Unfortunately, my motivation seems to wane when the temperature drops far below zero. I'm not alone here either. There's even a disorder for this season - seasonal affective disorder - SAD. Isn't that acronym depressing? I don't think I suffer from SAD, I just have a hard time motivating myself to get up & do a whole lot of anything. Gilmore Girls was just added to Netflix & I've made every excuse to watch episode after episode on the couch. I've watched it while blogging (like right now), writing thank you notes, cooking, & even cleaning.<br />
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In the summer months, I'm usually pretty motivated to workout. I get my butt to the gym or go for a run or even just go for a walk. We live about a minute from the river paths, so it's easy to take advantage of this proximity. In the summer.<br />
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The great thing about the paths though is that they are cleared all year long & we're lucky enough to experience breaks in the freezing cold pretty often. Even when it is cold out, it's just a matter of taking the plunge. Once you get out there, it's really not so bad.<br />
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I've been making an effort of getting out there more often lately. Even on the days that I don't feel like heading to the gym, I've been going. I've been setting my alarm for 5 am & forcing myself out of bed for spin class. (<i>I know that seems so crazy, but I have the best time once I'm there. The best!</i>) I reminded N to pick up his skates so we can head over to the skating rink in the evening. Free dates are the best dates, right?<br />
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that's it. Those are my thoughts about winter. None of this is truly groundbreaking, but I hope maybe it helps a little bit if you're finding yourself in hibernation mode. You can do it! Get up, get out, & go for it. You can either hate on winter for the next 6 months or you can find a way to make it great.<br />
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Or maybe you're already an expert in getting through the winter. Let me know if the comments what keeps you going<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00491941298450031207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-316243972901888216.post-41736159117711834882014-11-25T16:13:00.000-07:002015-04-21T10:58:51.821-06:00Honeymoon 005 \\ Lyon: Croix Rousse & the market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my favourite things about my life in Lyon was my neighbourhood. I lived on a quiet little street, just off the Boulevard de la Croix Rousse. This street separates the 4th arrondissement (<i>the plateau</i>) from the 1st (<i>the pentes or hill</i>). Although my apartment was actually right at the top of the hill, it was just at the end of the 1st. This quarter, Croix Rousse, is nicknamed <i>la colline qui travaille</i> (<i>opposite the hill that prays, which we explored the previous day</i>) because of the numerous silk workshops that were relocated from Vieux Lyon in the 18th Century.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">These workshops are the reason for the unique architecture in the area, including the beautiful tall ceilings in most buildings. The ceilings had to be tall to accommodate the very large Jacquard looms, making for beautiful, light-filled apartments now. Things weren't so great for these silk workers (<i>canuts</i>) back then though - their working conditions were horrible. The subsequent revolts are a big part of Lyon's history.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In many ways, this neighbourhood reminds me of the Plateau in Montreal. The area & its people have a reputation as being different from the rest of the city & in many ways it feels more like a village than part of a large city. So, on our second day in Lyon, we set out for Croix-Rousse first thing. This was one of the things I was most looking forward to in Lyon: giving N a glimpse of my life here in 2008. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silly Memories from 2008 in Croix Rousse</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We were staying near Place Sathonay, which I had often frequented while living in Lyon, so I took us up my regular route. Most people would take the montee de la grande cote, as it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but my tour would take us back that way on our way home. This way I could show N the stairs at montee de vauzelles too. My parents wound up taking them when they were looking for my apartment on their last visit so he'd heard of them before. I even made him take a picture of me at the bottom before we started our climb. (<i>I'm sure he thought I was a little odd getting excited about a set of stairs, but memories, friends.</i>)</span><br />
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The top of the stairs connects with the end of Rue de Vauzelles, & my former building is pretty much right in front of you at 13. Not much had changed from when I lived there, besides a little extra graffiti. Even the view of the Basilique de Fourvière was just as I'd remembered it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Giddy to show N the rest of my neighbourhood & hit the market, we only stayed long enough to take a picture in front of my building. The Croix Rousse market is by far my favourite. Located less than a block from my apartment, I spent many a morning browsing everything from fruits & vegetables to fresh cheeses & charcuterie. There was even a fish monger on the corner of my street. I was happy to discover that not much had changed. The fish monger is still there & most of the market's stalls seemed to be in the exact same places. The market runs from Tuesday to Sunday, giving you ample opportunity to check it out if you're ever in Lyon (<i>& I highly recommend that you do.</i>)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fish monger on the corner</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We'd hoped to grab a croissant or something quick before making the climb to the boulevard, but it being Sunday, everything was closed. We probably should have grabbed something the night before, but six years makes you forget how quiet things can be on a Sunday. It always takes me a few days to get back into the rhythm. Being one of the most popular days for brunch at home, it's easy to forget that's not the case in Europe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We found a little café serving breakfast & had a very French start: tartine, fresh pressed orange juice, & coffee. It won't keep you full for long, but I knew we'd be picking up an assortment of delicious things at the market so I wasn't worried.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Satiated, we strolled back through the market, picking up cheese, meat, & a baguette from different vendors. My favourite is always the cheese. Cheese is plentiful & relatively cheap (<i>compared to the prices we're used to</i>) in France. We had no trouble finding three to try. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">L'Arome de Lyon was one of my picks. I've never seen it anywhere else so, when I spotted it, I knew I wanted N to try it. From what I've read, it is a goat cheese soaked in brandy & then covered in grape skins, stems, & seeds. If you're up for something different, I highly recommend giving it a try. (<i>I've mostly learned all of this from google, but <a href="http://kitchen-notebook.blogspot.ca/2006/05/arme-de-lyon.html">Lucy's Kitchen Notebook</a> has a good review also.</i>)</span><br />
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N was enamoured (<i>bordering on obsessed</i>) with all the saucisson sec. He wanted to buy it all. We were a bit limited by our lack of utensils so we chose a chorizo. If he'd had his way, I'm sure we would have bought four or five others. We're both suckers for good quality charcuterie.<br />
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This abundance of incredible saucisson sec spurred the first of many discussions about how we could possibly move to France. His plan is to learn to make saucisson sec & start our own business. Once we figure it all out, we'll import cheeses too. It sounds quite delicious. I'm totally game!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There's a little park at the end of the boulevard so we headed that way with our finds: 3 cheeses, spicy cured sausage, prosciutto, & baguette. It doesn't look like a lot, but we barely made a dent in our lunch before we were full. I love this kind of lunch in Europe though. It's so easy to save for later & perfect when you're on a budget. (<i>Not that we were on much of a budget. We just love this type of fresh cheese & charcuterie & it doesn't get fresher than this!</i>) When we finally called it, we just wrapped it all back up & stashed it in my purse. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For some reason I can never remember exactly where Le Mur des Canuts (<i>the silk weaving neighbourhood mural</i>) is, so we wandered around in the general area for a while before stumbling upon it. It's always a little further east than I expect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lyon is quite well-known for its murals all over the city. This one honours the silk workers in the area. Every so often, the murals around the city are updated & you can see the older versions of this one on the wall beside it. The version I was most familiar with before this trip, was done in 1997, but when we arrived I realized that it looked a bit different. They'd added some greenery to the building on the right & the people looked different. I thought it was just my memory, until we read the plaques & realized this version was from 2013. I think the coolest part of the updates is that they age the people in the murals, so that was why they looked different to me. The people in the version from 2013 are 15 years older than the original & those in the 1997 version are 10 years older. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in 2008</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The streets on this hill wind back & forth, like switchbacks on a mountain, which explains the need for the famous traboules in this neighbourhood. Traboules are famous all over Lyon & we'd be seeing more of them on our tour of Vieux Lyon later, but the ones in Croix-Rousse were built at a different point in history so they are unique. I showed N one of my favourites as well as Passage Thiaffait, the lookout above the montee de la grande cote, & a much quieter montee than the previous night. (<i><a href="http://www.en.lyon-france.com/Discover-Lyon/Architecture-Monuments/Croix-Rousse-and-its-Architecture">Here</a>'s a little more information about these traboules. I've done this tour before as well.</i>)</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">We showed up for our tour in Vieux Lyon a bit early, so we had time to grab a drink at a funny little café in front of the Cathedral. The owner kept coming out to tease us, which is pretty amusing to translate to your english-speaking husband.</span></div>
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I'll talk a bit more about the traboules in my next post. In an attempt to split up our day in Lyon & keep my post shorter, I managed to still ramble on for far too long. One day I'll figure out how to concisely write about travel. Maybe. (<i>Doubtful</i>).<br />
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